Tural works



(No Model.)

W. G. MUNN 8v E. CHRISTMAN.

- GRAIN DRILL.

No. 473,234. Patented Apr. 19,1892.-

UNITED STATES P TENT Orrron.

WVILLIAM G. MUNN AND EDVVAHD CI-IRISTMAN, OE LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY,

ASSIGNORS TO TH E BRENNAN dz COMPANY SOUTHVVESTERN AGRICUL- TURAL WVORKS, OF SAME PLACE.

GRAIN-DRILL.

JECIFICA'IION forming part of Letters Patent No. 473,234, dated April 19, 1892.

Application filed January 28, 1892. $erial No. 419,497.

clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming to part of this specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in grain-drills, more particularly to those known as shoe or runner drills; and it consists in a novel construction and arrangement of parts V I to be hereinafter more particularly pointed out and claimed.

The object of our improvements is to furnish a simple, cheap, and effective means for applying spring-pressure to the runners and covering wheels of the drill, so that the pressure may be varied at will in accordance with the nature of the ground and whenever else desired.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective View of one of the runners of the drill, with our improved spring-pressure device in connection therewith, all other parts of the drill being removed. Fig. 2 is a perspectiveview of the casting between the forks of the dragbar, which'supports the end of the spring-rod.

A is a portion of the train frame of the drill, and B one of the hangers or brackets to which the drag-bars of one of the runners are pivoted.

O is one of the shoes or runners, to the forward end of which is rigidly secured the dragbar D, bifurcated as shown in Fig.1,the bifurcated end of the drag-bar being pivoted to the bracket B, as shown on the horizontal rod a,

40 which passes through eyes in the bracket-.-

The rod a preferably extends through each hanger or bracketfor the entire series of runners, so that a single rod forms the pivotal connection for all the drag-bars of the series.

E is the feed-tube secured at its lower end to the heel of the runner O, and through which the grain is conveyed to the ground into the furrow formed by the runner.

F is a steel spring-rod coiled loosely with so one or more coils around the roda at b. The

(No model.)

end of this spring-rod F bears down upon the metal casting G, which is rigidly secured between the forks of the drag-bar D D. The other end of the rod F is secured to the casting H by the screw 0. This casting His formed with a central opening f, so as to fit loosely around the feed-tube E and allow free vertical play for the tube.

K is a square rock-shaft extending horizontally across the machine from one side of the frame to the other, and secured to this rock-shaft at suitable intervals, one for each spring-rod F, are the arms L, whilea connecting rod or link M connects each of these arms L to its corresponding casting H.

N is a hand-lever by which the rock-shaft K is operated, and O a rack by which the lever is locked in any desired position in the usual way. v

P is a covering-wheel adjusted to follow in the track of the runner O and to cover the furrow after the seed has been deposited therein. This wheel is journaled in the ends of the rods cl cl. These rods are formed in one piece, looped at the front end and are secured to the casting H by the clamps e e.

The operation of the device will be readily understood. A lip R is formed on the feedtube E, and when it is desired to elevate the runners and Wheels from the ground in trans- 8o porting the machine from one field to another the hand-lever N is operated so as to rock the shaft K and raise upthe casting H, thus bringing the casting in contact with the lip R on the feed-tube and lifting it and its runner from the ground and at the same time also elevating the covering-wheel P.

When the device is in use, the operator shifts the hand-lever, so as to depress the casting H, which causes the end of the spring-rod F to bear on the casting G on the drag-bars, and thus to depress them and drive the runner into the ground, and at the same time the covering-Wheel is likewise pressed upon the ground. The coveringwheels may be ad- 5 justed in relation to the runners by loosening the clamps e e and securin g the rods (1 d higher up, as will be readily understood.

In the drawings we have illustrated but a single pressure device; but it will of course be understood that as many devices are arranged in series side by side, as there are feedtubes and hoppers in the grain-drill.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patcut, is

1. In a grain-drill, the combination, with the frame, runners, feed-tubes, and drag-bars pivoted to the frame, of spring-pressure rods coiled at the inner end, and pivotal connection therefor to the frame, with rigid support between the bifurcated arms of the drag-bars and free inner ends of said spring-rods pressing thereon, and connecting mechanism at the outer end of said spring-rods connecting same to a rock-shaft, whereby the rocking of said shaft will cause said spring-rods to exert their pressure on the runners, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a grain-drill, the combination, with the frame, runners, feed-tubes, and drag-bars pivoted to the frame, of spring-pressure rods coiled at the inner end, and pivotal connection therefor to the frame, with rigid support between the bifurcated arms of the drag-bars, and free inner ends of said spring-rods pressspring-rod, coil formed thereon at its forward end, with pivot-rod for the drag-bars to receive said coil, rigid support between the dragbars, and free end of said spring-rod extending back and pressing, upon said support, hollow casting secured to the other end of said spring-rod and surrounding the feed-tube, means for raising and depressing the said casting, and a covering-wheel, with springconnecting rods connecting said wheel to the hollow casting,'all substantially as shown and I described.

WILLIAM G. MUN N.

EDWARD CHRISTMAN.

Witnesses:

LYMAN L. PARKS, J. C. DoWNINe. 

